Cash Programme Advisor

Cash expert Lebanon: Support during the transition to Multi-purpose Cash Grant

As part of a more coherent and efficient approach to providing assistance to the most vulnerable Syrian refugees in Lebanon, UNHCR is making a transition from multiple programmes providing sector-specific assistance to a large percentage of refugees, to a cross-sectoral cash-based programme targeted to the extremely vulnerable.

The work of UNHCR is complemented by the work of WFP who intend to employ a common definition and identification of vulnerability, and use a common monitoring and outreach system. The joint programme will consist of two components – food assistance (provided by WFP through e-cards or cash) and cross-sectoral cash support (provided by UNHCR). This support will be a contribution toward filling the gap between the Minimum Expenditures Basket (MEB) and the income of the targeted household; the most (severely) vulnerable families will be receiving cash and food assistance, while the highly vulnerable will be receiving only the food assistance component. Those who are able to meet their own needs will not receive either. While initially, a fixed amount for cash and food assistance will be provided to the most highly and severely vulnerable (see below), during the course of implementation of the approach, the level of assistance will be fine-tuned and tailored to the level of vulnerability. This will require a comprehensive outreach and monitoring system as well as a solid assessment, consolidation and analysis of data to ensure that the categories of the most vulnerable are defined and maintained updated.

UNHCR is seeking an expert to facilitate the transition from the present method of delivering assistance to the more efficient method which is planned to take place in April 2014. To facilitate the cooperation and support of stakeholders, not least the refugees themselves, to ensure the accurate targeting of the most vulnerable, and the determination of the appropriate amount based on the minimum expenditure basket (MEB), the Lebanese country operation is seeking temporary support for the following:

1. Close collaboration with the CaLP focal point, the Cash Working Group and WFP for coordination of cash-based programming in Lebanon to Syrian refugees, to ensure coherence of the UNHCR multi-purpose grant to the most vulnerable with other agencies' programming and targeting approaches.
2. Further definition of criteria to identify the most vulnerable, exploiting existing data including the Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASyR), UNHCR's registration data, etc.
3. Design methods for outreach, identification and verification of the most vulnerable, not least to verify accuracy of targeting criteria, in collaboration with UNHCR partners including WFP and NGOs.
4. Further analysis of the appropriate transfer amount, by family and by zone, to ensure minimum basic needs can be met with the transfer, taking into consideration other assistance being received, e.g. WFP food assistance, UNHCR’s shelter, health and education assistance.
5. Coordinate the above (2-4) with the planned post-distribution monitoring of the winterisation package to ensure coherency in approach and efficient use of human resources and refugee's time.
6. Development and implementation of a communication strategy, including a mass information campaign, with the refugees, host community, humanitarian community and other stakeholders to ensure that all stakeholders understand the objective, rationale and targeting approach of the MEB grant to the most vulnerable.
7. Develop in partnership with the CWG and WFP, a monitoring system that allows to measure the effective process and outcome of the multi-purpose grant and other assistance provided to the same target group.
8. Collaborate with other UNHCR offices in the region undertaking similar exercises, e.g. Jordan and the regional UNHCR Cash Coordinator in Amman.

The incumbent is expected to have several years of extensive experience and knowledge of cash-based programming in humanitarian emergencies, including multi-purpose grants. Prior experience in a refugee context, with UNHCR or WFP, and experience in the region are an advantage.

The consultant will work closely with UNHCR officers involved in the cash programme (one programme officer, one cash assistant, one CS officer and one ICT officer) and report to the Assistant Representative (Programme). The duration of the contract is from January until April 2014 (4 months).

How to apply:

Please send your CV and cover letter by 17 January 2014 to Mirjam Resch (resch@unhcr.org), clearly statingLebanon Cash Programme Advisor in the subject line